Pacific Ant Prevention Plan Pacific Invasive Ant Group (PIAG) On behalf of the IUCN/SSC Invasive Species Specialist Group (ISSG) A proposal prepared for the Pacific Plant Protection Organisation and Regional Technical Meeting For Plant Protection March 2004 Cover photo: Fire ant worker. Photo courtesy of Texas Fire Ant Applied Research and Education Program. 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY............................................................................................................5 INTRODUCTION..........................................................................................................................7 PACIFIC CONTEXT..........................................................................................................................7 THE PLAN......................................................................................................................................8 GOAL...........................................................................................................................................8 SCOPE.........................................................................................................................................8 OBJECTIVES ..............................................................................................................................8 APPENDIX 1 ................................................................................................................................13 1. HISTORY OF RED IMPORTED FIRE ANTS AS INVADERS ............................................................13 2. IMPACTS OF RIFA...................................................................................................................14 2.1 Economic impacts of RIFA..............................................................................................14 2.2 Social impacts of RIFA....................................................................................................15 2.3 Ecological impacts of RIFA.............................................................................................15 3. IMPACTS OF OTHER INVA SIVE ANT SPECIES .............................................................................16 3.1 Solenopsis geminata – tropical fire ant ............................................................................16 3.2 Anoplolepis gracilipes - yellow crazy ant.......................................................................16 3.3 Pheidole megacephala – big headed ant...........................................................................17 3.4 Monomorium destructor – Singapore ant.........................................................................17 3.5 Tapinoma melanocephalum – ghost ant...........................................................................18 3.6 Solenopsis papuana ..........................................................................................................18 3.7 Paratrechina longicornis – crazy ant ................................................................................19 3.8 Wasmannia auropunctata – little fire ant..........................................................................19 3.9 Linepithema humile – Argentine ant................................................................................19 3.10 Monomorium pharaonis – Pharaoh ant ..........................................................................20 3.11 Technomyrmex albipes – white footed ant ....................................................................21 4. BIOLOGY OF RED IMPORTED FIRE ANTS AND OTHER INVASIVE ANT SPECIES ..........................21 4.1 Polygyny...........................................................................................................................21 4.2 Unicoloniality...................................................................................................................22 4.3 High interspecific aggression...........................................................................................22 4.4 Reproduction by budding.................................................................................................22 5. DISPERSAL VIA HUMAN COMMERCE ........................................................................................23 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.........................................................................................................24 REFERENCES .............................................................................................................................26 3 4 Executive Summary Ants are notorious invaders, particularly those species known as “tramp” ants. They easily disperse worldwide through commerce and other human-assisted avenues, often cause significant economic and environmental damage, and are often extremely difficult or impossible to eradicate or control. Although some species are sometimes considered beneficial for their role as biocontrol agents, the overall impacts of invasive ants are usually overwhelmingly negative. Due to the difficulty and expense of controlling or eradicating these invaders, the most cost- effective approach to addressing the problems they cause is to prevent their establishment. An excellent example of an ant species for which prevention measures are especially warranted is the red imported fire ant (RIFA) Solenopsis invicta. One of the world’s most significant ant pests, RIFA has been extremely successful at spreading around the tropical and sub-tropical world via commerce. Outside of its native range in South America it has caused considerable damage, including millions of dollars in damages to agriculture; injury and death to people, domestic animals and wildlife; and millions of dollars in damage to electrical and communication systems, and other electrical equipment. The history of its invasiveness (see Appendix 1) shows that once established, RIFA is very difficult and costly to eradicate and extremely expensive to control. Consequently, the most efficient and effective option for dealing with this pest is to implement comprehensive preventative measures. There are a number of other invasive "tramp" ant species, which also cause significant damage and should therefore also be subject to comprehensive preventative measures. These other ants spread using similar pathways to RIFA and require similar measures to prevent their spread and establishment. The most serious threats are from: Solenopsis geminata (tropical fire ant), Anoplolepis gracilipes (yellow crazy ant), Pheidole megacephala (big headed ant), Monomorium destructor (Singapore ant), Tapinoma melanocephalum (ghost ant), Solenopsis papuana, Paratrechina longicornis (crazy ant), Wasmannia auropunctata (little fire ant), Linepithema humile (Argentine ant), Monomorium pharaonis (Pharaoh ant) and Technomyrmex albipes (white footed ant). Prevention of RIFA and other invasive ant species from establishing on Pacific islands is best addressed through a regional approach. This is primarily due to the ease with which these species spread. Should RIFA become established on one island in the Pacific, it would provide a source for it spreading to other islands/countries. Such island invasions in the Pacific are likely to lead to considerable economic and biodiversity loss and hardship for communities. Therefore a regional prevention plan, as offered here, is warranted. The goal of this prevention plan is to prevent RIFA and other invasive ant species with economic, environmental and social impacts, entering and establishing in or spreading between, or within, countries of the Pacific Region, thereby protecting economic, social and environmental interests in the area. The Pacific Ant Prevention Plan (PAPP) lays out the recommended procedures, organisation and measures required to achieve the goal. It includes objectives under two broad headings of entry and establishment. In addition, a number of actions have been identified that are likely to be required in order to meet each objective. Prevention of entry measures required include: · appropriate legislation, regulations or standards to deal with invasive ants pre-border and at the border; 5 · risk analysis that covers the region but which can be adapted for implementation to each country or territory; · regional trade agreements which accommodate risks associated with invasive ants; and · operational measures which can be applied to each territory and will actually prevent ants gaining entry. Prevention of establishment measures required include: · a range of surveillance measures appropriate to quickly identify the presence of a new invasive ant in each territory; · appropriate incursion response procedures and the capability to enact them; · a regional public awareness strategy to ensure the ant species concerned have appropriate public profiles so the risks of their establishment are well understood by sections of the community; and · an active research programme to ensure the measures used to prevent establishment have a sound scientific base and thus will have the greatest likelihood of success. The Invasive Species Specialist Group (ISSG) of The World Conservation Union (IUCN) is coordinating this project, with support from members of the Pacific Invasive Ant Group. We recommend that: · the PPPO and RTMPP acknowledge the threat of RIFA and other invasive ants to the regional economy, trade, plant, animal and human health and biodiversity · action to prevent RIFA and other invasive ants entering and establishing in the Pacific region